Disney vs all other cruise lines

[Gdes1]

We sailed on HAL's Koningsdam to Alaska and we all thought it was amazing - we have also done Princess (short one), NCL and RCCL to Alaska. HAL beat them all. The Glacier Bay day was truly one of the best days I've ever had cruising. (Note - read the itineraries carefully, not all Princess cruises go to Glacier Bay, and I'm not sure if all HAL do either!) The Koningsdam is a newer HAL ship but still a smaller size, perhaps just a shade bigger than Magic & Wonder. You know what the best feature was - it's the retractable roof! It allowed kids to swim, adults to sit in the hot tub, we watched "outdoor" movies, all without being cold.

When we sailed RCCL to Alaska we took one of their smaller/older ships. It was fine, nothing to write home about. But no Glacier Bay. Some of the bigger RCCL ships that start from Seattle have a bit more to offer, but I'd definitely look closer at HAL.

Thank you so much, this is great info! HAL is a whole new thing for me to research, and I appreciate the comments on itinerary and ship. For this, I truly just need a floating hotel...clean, comfortable, decent service and good food.

 

[holula]

Unfortunately several ships have the casino adjacent to the open three-deck small atrium area.

This was the layout on all three NCL ships I’ve been on and why I know I won’t cope with it as there is really no way to avoid it.

On the newer Royal ships I’ve never had issues as their casinos are tucked away. It’s just that specific NCL design.

 

[bakerworld]

The haven pools allow children in them. Every NCL ship I’ve sailed on had a designated adult pool. Spice H2O is an adult area on the newer ships. There are complaints during school holidays from folks who spent big bucks to have the haven pools and hot tubs filled with children.

Good to know!

 

[ldo]

They have great casts but IMO it is hard to compare to something like Royal's Aqua shows, ice skating shows, or a full 2.5 hour production of shows like Mamma Mia. Disney shows are amazing for what they are but Royal is really raising the bar IMO.

Exactly our thoughts. Our family (now with 20-something kids) adores DCL, but the Oasis class+ Royals are something that we really like. DH said, "Royal has stepped up their game on these ships." In addition to the main entertainment, they have an "Attic" that looks like a garage bar with 2 comedians that do 12 (same) shows during the week, large karaoke forum, etc.
If you have older teens who might be "tired" of the Disney theme, I'd definitely recommend Oasis class Royals. There are 4 pools, (slides, putt-putt, rock climbing, etc.), very nice adults only pool/solarium, and lots of free eating options. Even with 5,500 passengers, it really doesn't feel that crowded.
We also liked CocoCay-they've got a huge pool and, like Castaway, multiple (free) beaches with different vibes (some with entrance fees that we saw no reason to use). Royal also appeared to handle the lunch crowd better (and more options).

 

[mcd2745]

Even with 5,500 passengers, it really doesn't feel that crowded.

That's one thing I noticed as well when we sailed Royal. Whether it's by design or not, they did a good job of spreading people out around the ship. DCL, on the other hand, seems to often have everyone in the same place at the same time.

 

[ldo]

I can only say that about Oasis class design--they got it right there!

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We started sailing with Disney when our kid was in kindergarten and have been on DCL the most. We also sailed with Royal a few times and love the Oasis class especially. Our now teen really preferred Royal for a while (from maybe age 9 to 13). Last couple of years we went back on Disney and our teen now prefers Disney again, by far. I think at 14-15 he really appreciated the little extra touches, better included food & service. Though we find Royal great, it’s not as consistent. This past Christmas we tried HAL for the first time, we went on the Rotterdam for a 9 night S.Caribbean. It was amazing. I would say food & service reminded me of Disney. Ship decor & activities too. It’s a modern (newest HAL) ship and offers a very classic, premium cruising experience. They did such a great job for Christmas. Our 15 yo loved it, said it was his top 3 cruise. We also want to try Princess. In my opinion, when venturing away from Disney, it’s best to try the newer ships on other lines.I would highly recommend HAL but only Pinnacle class & over summer or school holidays if going with the kids.

 

[Racer X]

Can Any NCL cruisers compare their boats to DCL?

 

[mlayton14]

For you Royal lovers I give you this link

Royal Caribbean failed inspection

 

[LAS2AMS]

For you Royal lovers I give you this link

Royal Caribbean failed inspection

..Because an isolated inspection on a cuisine many times the size of Disney defines them.

 

[supercarrie]

Can Any NCL cruisers compare their boats to DCL?

We were not a fan of NCL. SO many additional things cost extra. Felt very nickle and dimed the entire time, and I'm mainly a Royal cruiser who is used to specialty restaurants, add on packages, etc. If you are used to DCL, I think it would be so much worse.

That being said, the ships are great and I enjoyed the "freestyle" aspect of the dining. I just didn't like the additional costs.

 

[Cfabar1]

With really young kids, we like Disney….

Around the time we are Platinum Sailors we are likely to be done with Disney….

If the kids can bear it, we will switch to Princess or Celebrity as soon as possible…. Yes, less for them to do, but from the reviews it looks like great rooms, great food, and less money…. DCL prices, as they rise, well let’s just say it is getting tough to justify the price more and more - especially because we get large verandah rooms… We also prefer the older ships, and who knows how long they will be sailing them out of Canaveral. We’ve done the Wish twice, and don’t really have a desire to repeat… View the Treasure as a gamble, and not sure I want to gamble on a $9k+ family vacation….

 

[Memepoppy]

If you don't mind me picking your brain, do you have any research or recommendations for the best line or ship for Alaska for a family with teens? We like DCL for the beautiful themed decor, shows, the private islands, teen/kids clubs etc. But for such a port-heavy trip (that's not in the Bahamas where their islands are), we don't want to feel like we had to cut land/port time short to go back for a meal or show or something. I figure for Alaska, we will mostly be waking up early to eat and be ready to disembark, will be at port stops/excursions, then going back for dinner, maybe a little entertainment, then sleep and repeat. Everyone seems to say RCL. But, again, would we even benefit from the things the ship offers? I'm honestly thinking we do HA or something that is just clean, comfortable, and decent food.

Alaska cruises are different than the Carribean. First off, it's all about the destination, the ship is secondary. None of the ships that cruise Alaska are packed with the outdoor features you'd see on a Carribean ship. You really need to look at the itineraries closely. If you Glacier Bay is high on your priorities, you're limited to Holland America or Princess. Other lines do Icy Strait Point or Dawes Glacier. Most all lines hit the same ports, although some have pier locations close to town while other lines may require a shuttle bus. Again, look at the itineraries, and choose based on what is important to you and your family. I will say that cruising Alaska is our favorite because of the scenery. We love the Carribean (just completed 2 cruises), but Alaska is a place we continue to return to. Two completely different experiences.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

With really young kids, we like Disney….

Around the time we are Platinum Sailors we are likely to be done with Disney….

If the kids can bear it, we will switch to Princess or Celebrity as soon as possible…. Yes, less for them to do, but from the reviews it looks like great rooms, great food, and less money…. DCL prices, as they rise, well let’s just say it is getting tough to justify the price more and more - especially because we get large verandah rooms… We also prefer the older ships, and who knows how long they will be sailing them out of Canaveral. We’ve done the Wish twice, and don’t really have a desire to repeat… View the Treasure as a gamble, and not sure I want to gamble on a $9k+ family vacation….

If you prefer older ships you may enjoy Princess, but the entertainment and activities felt underwhelming. I would sail them to Alaska or maybe Europe, since those itineraries are so port heavy, and the ship doesn’t matter as much.

 

[tidefan]

If you prefer older ships you may enjoy Princess, but the entertainment and activities felt underwhelming. I would sail them to Alaska or maybe Europe, since those itineraries are so port heavy, and the ship doesn’t matter as much.

You went on a Grand-class Princess ship, didn't you...

 

[Disnsyncey]

If you want glaciers in Alaska, go with one who does Glacier Bay.....

I did Royal twice (one way is the best way to go so you can do Seward with their visits to all the glaciers too! and also Denali) to Alaska and it was perfectly fine. We were up early off doing adventures and had "just enough" time to enjoy the ship.

But to the original question, Disney vs all other cruise lines.......I'm going for the "Disney Magic" and that's expensive....and you can't get that anywhere else (not just saying customer service and such, like LITERALLY meeting Cinderella, that's magical hahaha)

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

You went on a Grand-class Princess ship, didn't you...

To be fair, we felt the same about NCL. The specialty restaurant food was great but “free” food was mediocre and the entertainment was also mediocre. The Haven restaurant was great. Maybe if we really liked alcohol tastings we would’ve liked the ships more? We do enjoy casinos from time to time but we get a lot of value from activities and pools and shows onboard.

I will say the ships were nice and the service was good

 

[tidefan]

To be fair, we felt the same about NCL. The specialty restaurant food was great but “free” food was mediocre and the entertainment was also mediocre. The Haven restaurant was great. Maybe if we really liked alcohol tastings we would’ve liked the ships more? We do enjoy casinos from time to time but we get a lot of value from activities and pools and shows onboard.

I will say the ships were nice and the service was good

When it comes to Princess, I find a large disconnect between the older, grand-class ships and the newer Royal or Sphere class ships, especially where food is concerned. The buffet on the newer ships is light-years better than the older ones...

That said, you can say that about a lot of lines. Your experience on Carnival Ecstasy will be very different than your experience on Mardi Gras and your experience on Icon of the Seas would be very different than Grandeur of the Seas, etc..

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

When it comes to Princess, I find a large disconnect between the older, grand-class ships and the newer Royal or Sphere class ships, especially where food is concerned. The buffet on the newer ships is light-years better than the older ones...

That said, you can say that about a lot of lines. Your experience on Carnival Ecstasy will be very different than your experience on Mardi Gras and your experience on Icon of the Seas would be very different than Grandeur of the Seas, etc..

Agreed. We generally don’t go on any of the older ships on any line but have family who love those ships. We are willing to pay the premium for Royal class on Princess, Breakaway class on NCL, Oasis/Icon class on RCL. We have not had the opportunity to do Sphere class on Princess. I can’t recall the ship families on Carnival because it’s been several years. We did Breeze and Magic most recently but considered Mardi Gras. Carnival was where we discovered cruising because they had such a great military discount.

All the lines have great products, but each person/family needs to find what works best for them.

I’m very excited to add DCL to our checklist.